Smoothie Project

In an effort to put more plants in my diet, I've pulled out my blender to join my "vitamix" happy friends in some smoothie experimentation.  Surprisingly, even my run-of-the-mill-Osterizer blender can turn a jar full of healthy stuff into something that tastes like dessert.  I am up to two cups of kale, and we just can't taste anything but the fruit.  Next week I'll try adding in shredded carrots or maybe some parsnips to see how that works.  I had been trying to add an extra side dish to each dinner, but for all that work I was only getting one more serving into my day so it hardly seems worth it.  With 7 minutes, a smoothie gets me 3-4 more plant servings each day (and Eleanor too, she loves them).  So, I'm feeling like I've found something that works!

Each smoothie has the same base (per person):

• 1/2 cup low fat greek yogurt (Trader Joes has best fat to protein ratio)
• 1/2 banana
• 1 peeled clementine
• 2 teaspoons flax meal
• splash of juice or water
• 1-2 cups torn up kale (just leaves, no big stem)
• fruit - whatever we have around, fresh or frozen